


The Visitor

by SilverWing15



Series: The Journey [4]
Category: Dream SMP - Fandom, Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Fluff, Gen, Hurt/Comfort, Parent Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Protective Technoblade (Video Blogging RPF), Raccooninnit
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-12-28
Updated: 2020-12-29
Packaged: 2021-03-11 04:00:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 5,216
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28388922
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverWing15/pseuds/SilverWing15
Summary: Its especially bad at times like this, when he really, really needs to be able to do something to help himself. Because he can’t freeze up, he can’t be helpless when he is here.Not Dream, Dream is dead. A thought that comforts and hurts him in turn.But there is nothing comforting about Philza.The last time Tommy saw him, he was pulling a sword out of Wilbur’s chest.The summary sounds v angsty but honeslty its equal amounts of fluff. Gotta have my Dadza
Relationships: Technoblade & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF), Technoblade & TommyInnit (Video Blogging RPF), TommyInnit & Phil Watson (Video Blogging RPF)
Series: The Journey [4]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2073108
Comments: 28
Kudos: 1086
Collections: Completed stories I've read





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This was gonna be part of Home but then it kept getting longer and I might add on more chapters later so I figured I'd just make it its own thing. I've decided to play around with SBI not having known each other --much--before canon started so Philza and Tommy have a different relationship than usual. For angst.  
> But there's still some good good dadza content because Phil has unstoppable vibes and this was originally supposed to be a fluff oneshot

He likes to watch the turtles. They paddle through the water, so graceful and fast, untouchable in their element, and then they climb onto land and suddenly they’re unwieldy, unsure. Helpless. 

Tommy feels like that sometimes. He’s fine, he’s free, he’s happy. And then he’s back there. In the cell, on the beach, alone, or worse, with Dream. He’s helpless. 

He hates it, the way his breath goes short, his heart pounds against his ribs, the rush of blood in his ears. The way he freezes, locks up. 

Its especially bad at times like this, when he really,  _ really _ needs to be able to do something to help himself. Because he can’t freeze up, he can’t be helpless when  _ he  _ is here. 

Not Dream, Dream is dead. A thought that comforts and hurts him in turn. 

But there is nothing comforting about Philza. 

The last time Tommy saw him, he was pulling a sword out of Wilbur’s chest. 

At least he seems just as surprised to see Tommy as Tommy is to see him. He’s standing with his eyes wide, mouth half open, one hand raised, like he was going to put it on Tommy’s shoulder. 

There is a sword at his waist. 

_ Is that the one that killed Wilbur? _

Philza is getting over his shock, his face morphing into confusion, his hand lowering. Tommy has to move, has to leave, now.  _ Now _ . 

His heart races even though his feet refuse to. 

“Tommy?” Phliza asks. 

Tommy runs. 

“Tommy wait!” Philza calls, and Tommy can hear footsteps crunching through the snow after him.  _ No no no no. _ He runs into a drift, he’s up to his knees in snow. A strangled sound forces its way out of his throat. Not a whimper, he isn’t that pathetic. He  _ isn’t _ . 

“Tommy stop!” Philza says behind him, too close behind him. 

Tommy breaks out of the drift and sprints across the yard. Techno’s house appears in front of him. “Techno!” Tommy screams, he can feel his throat becoming raw already, but he still shouts again, “Technoblade!” 

The door  _ slams _ open, so hard that it bounces off of the side of the house and starts to shut again. Techno is already through it though, he vaults over the railing of the porch and lands on his feet in the snow, naked sword gleaming in the light. There is a snarl on his face and any other time that might fill Tommy with fear, this time it is his greatest hope. 

He darts behind Technoblade, nearly slipping on the snow as he turns. He catches the edge of Techno’s cloak to keep on his feet. A growl rips out of Techno’s throat, the temperature of the air around him seems to drop. 

Philza skids to a stop, his hands already raised. “Techno,” he says, but he doesn’t sound scared. Not scared enough. “Techno its me.” 

Tension slides out of Technoblade’s muscles, _what?_ _Why?_ Tommy dares to dart a glance at Techno’s face. There is a hint of confusion there, anger fading. 

“It just me,” Philza repeats, spreading his hands to the side. “Everything’s alright.” 

Except its  _ not _ because Philza is  _ here _ and he’s  _ seen Tommy _ and he’d killed Wilbur and he’s still got the sword he did it with right there. 

“Phil?” Techno asks. 

_ Phil?? _

Philza smiles, relieved, “yeah, its me.” 

Techno lowers his sword, and Phil lowers his hands. What the fuck.  _ What the fuck _ ? 

“What the hell, Phil?” Techno asks, incredulous. He straightens out of his fighting stance, he  _ sheathes his sword _ . He looks over his shoulder at Tommy, “what the hell, Tommy?” 

Philza chuckles, “I think I startled him is all,” he’s got a kind smile. Kinder than Tommy would have thought would fit on man who killed Wilbur. “I didn’t know you’d gotten a new roommate.” 

Techno snorts, “Its new.” He readjusts his cloak, it falls out of Tommy’s numb hands, “you may as well come in, its too cold to do this shit outside.” 

He’s inviting Philza inside. He’s being  _ friendly _ with him. 

Philza offers Tommy another smile, apologetic, kind, calm. Not like that man who had stabbed Wilbur in the chest and let the body fall so limp, so small, at his feet. Tommy backs a step away. Techno is walking past him, perfectly fine with baring his back to Philza. 

“Come on,” Techno says, and he wraps an arm around Tommy’s shoulders. Tommy jumps a bit, but he can’t help but feel safer with Techno’s arm around him, his cloak draped over his back. Hiding him, keeping him safe. 

Even with Philza at his back. 

Which Techno still doesn’t seem to mind. 

“Do you know him?” Tommy whispers. 

“Who, Phil?” Techno laughs, “yeah, we go way back. Before you were around. Me and Phil are old friends.” 

What the fuck. 

“But--” Tommy flicks a glance back to Philza, he seems to be lagging behind purposefully and he smiles at Tommy again when he meets his eye. 

Tommy looks away and scoots just a little closer to Techno. Techno’s arm squeezes his shoulders and he pushes Tommy into the house ahead of him. “Do you know where the tea is?” 

He means “do you have the tea.” 

But Techno never asks that directly, never asks for things back even if Tommy admits to having them. 

“Its still in the cabinet.” 

Techno grunts and keeps his hand on Tommy’s shoulder as they enter the kitchen. Not restraining, Tommy could brush him off if he really wanted to, go upstairs, leave Techno and Philza to do whatever it is Philza is here for. 

He doesn’t though, he stays in the kitchen as Techno pulls the tea down from the cabinet and puts a kettle on the stove. Philza comes in behind them, Tommy tenses as he hears the unfamiliar pace of his boots crossing the floor, but he doesn’t come to the kitchen. Instead he sits in the livingroom with a sigh. 

“Be right there,” Techno calls casually. 

“Take your time,” Philza says, just as casual. 

They. They really are friends. 

Technoblade and Wilbur’s dad. 

Tommy had wondered where Wilbur had met Techno. Guess he knows now. 

“Are you alright?” Techno asks quietly, “Phil’s probably gonna be here for a bit so if you want you can go down to your room and take a nap or something.” 

“I’m fine.” Tommy says, he forces a laugh, “he just surprised me is all. Wasn’t expecting Wilbur’s dad to show up.” 

Techno pauses mid-motion in grabbing a couple of tea mugs. “Yeah.” he says softly, he sets the mugs on the counter, “that. That was the first time you saw him, wasn’t it?” 

Tommy shrugs, “I guess,” he says, like it doesn’t matter, like it doesn’t bother him. He swallows hard around a lump in his throat. 

“He’s a good guy,” Techno says, “I know you might not have the best impression of him, and that’s fine. You don’t have to like him, or forgive him, or whatever, but he won’t hurt you. I promise.” 

Tommy crosses his arms, turning away. “Its fine. I’m fine.” 

“Tommy,” Techno says firmly, Tommy looks at him reluctantly. “I wouldn’t let anyone into this house if I thought they would hurt you.” he rests a hand on Tommy’s shoulder, “if you’re not comfortable with him being here, he’ll go.” 

“Tommy fights back the tears that want to fall, he can’t meet Techno’s eyes. They’re too gentle, too earnest. “I’ll be fine.” 

Techno raises his eyebrows, but he doesn’t need to put words to the doubt on his face. “I’m fine, Techno.” Tommy says, he’s not going to fuck up Techno getting a visit from someone he actually wants to talk to. Someone who’s helpful, instead of being annoying and a burden like Tommy is. 

“Let me know if that changes,” Techno says firmly. 

“I will.” 

He won’t. 

Techno presses a warm mug of tea into his hands, “you don’t have to come talk if you’re not ready,” he says. “You can stay in here. Phil’s fine with waiting if you want me to stay with you.” 

Tommy makes himself scoff, “really Techno, come on. I’m  _ fine _ .” He spreads his arms gesturing to himself to show just how fine he is. “I’m not a baby, I don’t need you to watch me. I’ll just go down to my room or something. Have fun being old or whatever.” 

Techno sighs, “fine. Do what you want.” 

He takes the remaining mugs of tea and carries them out to the livingroom, leaving Tommy alone in the kitchen. 

“Thanks mate,” Philza says, presumably taking his mug. “Ooh, is this that green blend?” 

“Yeah,” Techno replies, there is a familiar creak as he sits in his favorite chair by the fire. “That trader finally came through a few months ago so I could get more.” 

“Nice.” 

A moment of silence, Tommy slips a bit closer to the doorway of the kitchen.He crouches down so he’s still out of sight from them. He can see Techno’s arm on the chair, and Philza’s ankles, comfortably crossed near the fire. 

“So, just a social visit?” Techno asks eventually. 

Philza hums, “mostly. There’s been some unrest since Dream’s dead but things are mostly quiet.” 

“For now,” Techno snorts.

Philza laughs, “always the pessimist.” 

“Hard not to be.” 

They’re quiet for another moment, then Philza speaks up, “I would have helped you know. You didn’t have to fight Dream on your own. Though now I’m pretty sure I know  _ why _ you did.” 

“Yeah,” Techno says softly, “I would have asked but I wasn’t really thinking clearly at the time.” 

“Always a victim to your heart,” Philza says, something fond in his tone.

Techno grunts, “not what most people know me for.” 

“Most people don’t know you as well as I do, old friend.” 

Techno grunts again. 

“They think he’s dead, you know. L’manberg had a funeral and everything.” 

Guilt twists around Tommy’s heart. Tubbo thinks he’s dead, and everyone else too. He clutches the mug tighter. He should go back, should tell them the truth. 

But they’d exiled him. They’d abandoned him. 

Techno had offered to take him back a few times, but Tommy just…

He can’t face it. The place that was once home, but isn’t any longer. 

“He doesn’t want to go back,” Techno says, interrupting his thoughts, “he isn’t ready to go back. You won’t tell them, will you Phil?” 

Philza is silent for a moment and Tommy’s heart skips a beat. 

“No.” Philza says, “I won’t, you know I won’t. I don’t quite agree with you on letting them think he’s dead, but if its what he wants then I won’t interfere. He’s a kid, he deserves some peace.” 

“Yeah,” Techno murmurs. 

“So, I saw the turtle farm, its looking pretty good.” 

Tommy sets his teacup on the counter and slips down the ladder to the root cellar. He doesn’t want to hear any more. 


	2. Chapter 2

_ “Tommy, Tommy, Tommy _ ,” Dream chides. His mask smiles down at Tommy, but the poisonous green of his eyes is all around him, “you promised you wouldn’t leave. You broke your promise.  _ Again _ .” There is anger in his voice, there are chains around Tommy’s wrists, he cant’ run, he can’t hide. 

Dream looms over him, his hand rests gently--so gently--on Tommy’s cheek, “I told you what would happen if you did that.”

“Please,” Tommy whispers, “Dream I’m sorry. I’m  _ sorry _ . I--” Dream’s hand slips down from his cheek to his throat. Squeezes. 

“I don't want to hurt you Tommy,” Dream says, his free hand brushes through Tommy’s hair, “I don’t like hurting you.” 

But he still does it. 

Tommy chokes, trying to pull away enough to breathe, to get Dream’s hand out of his hair. He sobs. He doesn’t want to die. 

“You make things so difficult for yourself,” Dream says sadly. 

***

Tommy wakes up gasping. He’s tangled in the blankets, they’re too tight around him, too restrictive even if they’re not anywhere near his throat. He shoves them away, stumbles to his feet so fast that he loses his balance and has to catch himself on the wall. 

He kicks the blankets off of his ankles and presses his back to the firm earth of the root cellar. He could sleep upstairs, but he prefers to be down here. Where all of his things are, where he has a lock on the inside of the door, where he can’t be seen. Where he won’t be found. 

Even though Dream was the only one looking for him. 

Footsteps creak across the floor above him, Tommy should stay down here. Should go back to bed. It was only a nightmare. Dream is dead, Techno killed him. 

He isn’t some useless child who needs to go see their parents after they have a bad dream. Techno isn’t even his parent, he’s just….Techno. 

Tommy gathers up the blankets and throws himself back into the bed. He shuts his eyes firmly, determined to fall back to sleep. He sits in the dark, he counts his breaths, counts the seconds, counts the creak of footsteps above him. 

Techno seems to be moving around a lot. 

Maybe...Maybe he needs help with something. Tommy gets up again and climbs the ladder before he can make himself reconsider. He locks the door behind him. 

There is a light on upstairs, but when Tommy looks into the room, it isn’t Techno, its Philza. Tommy freezes in the doorway. 

Philza isn’t wearing his sword belt, he’s in what must be his own sleeping clothes, the couch where he’d been set up for the night is abandoned. Instead he’s sitting on the floor sorting through Technoblade’s books. 

In the middle of the night. 

Well, its not like its the weirdest thing that’s happened in this house in the middle of the night. 

Tommy takes a step back, he’s not sure where Techno is but he’s not dealing with Philza right now. Unfortunately, as soon as he moves, Philza looks up. There’s suspicion on his face for a split second, but as soon as he sees Tommy it clears away. “Hey,” he says softly. “You’re up late.” 

Tommy shrugs. “Where’s Techno?” 

“I sent him to bed.” 

_ He can do that? _

Philza laughs, “he does actually sleep sometimes.” 

“Not that I’ve seen,” Tommy mutters. 

Philza chuckles again and it seems kind of final so Tommy is really hoping that he can just slip away. Go back down to his room and forget this ever happened. 

“You want to help?” 

“What?” 

“I’m trying to organize Techno’s books, he always gets them out of order and then he can’t find shit.” Philza shrugs, “something to do when I can’t sleep at least.” 

And Tommy notices that there’s dark shadows under his eyes, a defeated slump to his shoulders. He wonders if Philza has nightmares too. 

“You look like you could use the distraction.” 

Tommy stiffens, “I--I guess.” 

Philza pats the floor next to him, “plenty of room, plenty of books.” 

Hesitantly, Tommy comes closer, but not too close. Not in arm’s reach. He sits down by a pile of books and pokes at them. 

“I’m trying alphabetize by author, that’s the A’s.” Philza explains, taking another book off the shelf. 

“Right.” 

They sit in silence for a moment, and Tommy begins wondering if he could make his escape when Philza looks up at him again. “I didn’t really get the chance to apologize for scaring you earlier.” 

Tommy hunches his shoulders, looking down at the book in his lap as if it holds all the answers to how to get out of this conversation. “Its fine.” 

“Put this one in the B’s there would you?” Philza holds a book out to him, motioning with it to the pile where it goes. Tommy leans forward and takes it. He’s just laid his hand on the cover when Philza speaks again, “you were with Wilbur, weren’t you?” His voice is quiet, gentle, regretful. 

Tommy hates it. He takes the book and pulls away quickly. He can feel Philza’s eyes on him, too knowing, too kind. 

“Yeah.” 

“He wrote to me about you.” There is a ghost of a smile on Philza’s face. “He liked you. Thought you were a good kid. He was right.” 

Tommy turns away, eyes burning. “Yeah, he--he was good too. At first.” 

Philza sighs, “yeah.” 

Tommy keeps his eyes on his hands, he’d grabbed Will’s coat, right before he left for that final, terrible time. 

_ “I’ll be right back,” _ Wilbur had said, had promised. 

Only he hadn’t been. 

“You’ve been though a lot, huh?” 

“I guess,” Tommy mutters, fiddling with the leather bound cover of a book. 

“Techno will take good care of you,” Philza says, there’s that same fondness in his tone. “He’s like that you know, he pretends to be all cold but he’s a big softie on the inside. Once you’re his friend, it takes a lot to get him to give up on you.” 

Like betraying him, Tommy supposes. 

“You’ve got me, too,” Philza says, “I know we haven’t talked, and between--well. With everything that’s gone on you probably don’t have the best impression of me, but if you’re Techno’s friend, then you’re mine too.” 

Tommy...doesn’t know what to do with that, what to think of that. “Thanks,” he says, because he’s pretty sure you’re supposed to. He glances up and finds Philza smiling at him, there’s something soft and kind in his face and Tommy doesn’t know what to think of that either. 

Why does he have to be so nice? Why does it make something in Tommy’s chest squeeze and ache? Why couldn’t he just stay in L’manberg and never come here? 

Philza gets back to sorting the books, and Tommy continues helping him. Its better than sitting in the dark, thinking about Wilbur or Dream. 

Philza laughs, suddenly. “Gosh, I didn’t know he still  _ had _ this old thing.” 

The book he’s holding is worn, the pages are bent and torn at the edges, the cover has a few stains on it, the spine is bowed and barely holding together. “I got him this,” Philza says conversationally, flipping through the pages. “ _ Ages _ ago. I think it was pretty much the first book that he owned. I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that he kept it.” 

“What is it?” Tommy finds himself asking. There’s no text on the cover and if there were ever any on the spine its illegible now. 

“An old anthology of fairy tales,” Philza says, he flips a few more pages. “This one was his favorite. Probably has the damn thing memorized still.” He tilts the book towards Tommy and Tommy can’t help but scoot a little bit closer. Just to see. 

He can feel Philza’s warmth radiating across the few inches that separate them. His wing is behind Tommy, like he’s sheltering him. 

“Long ago,” Philza says in a deep tone, like he’s mimicking Techno, “there was a mischievous spirit…” 

Tommy finds himself leaning closer and closer to Philza as he reads. Its a fairytale, not the most riveting of stories, but its still a fairly good one. He can see why Techno might like it, lots of rulers getting their comeuppance. His eyes grow heavy. He’s warm, and comfortable--somehow he’s leaning against Philza, with Phil’s wing curled around him like a blanket. Phil’s voice washes over him, calm and even as he reads on, its soothing. 

He doesn’t hear the rest of the story. 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There may or may not be more added onto this in the future but this was all that I wanted to write on it for now!


	3. Chapter 3

“You know, I set up the couch for  _ you _ to sleep on.” 

Phil laughs quietly, “well its hell on my back you know.” 

“Alright old man,” Techno snorts, “If you wanted a guest bed you just had to say so.” 

“Seems like you’ve already given it out.” 

Techno sighs, “you’re not gonna let that go are you?” 

“Not any time soon.” 

Tommy sleeps on, utterly oblivious to the conversation going on over his head. “I wan’t sure where he actually slept. He came up from the basement?” 

Techno shrugs helplessly, “he likes it in the root cellar, I’m not gonna argue.” 

Well, neither is Phil. 

Phil puts the kettle on, making a mental note to pull it off the heat before it boils so they don’t wake Tommy up. The kid probably needs his sleep. 

“Green?” Techno asks, shaking the tin at him. 

“Better make it black,” Phil says, “I could use the caffeine.” 

Techno grunts and pulls out the good stuff from the back of the cabinet. They sit with their mugs, looking out the window, “have any projects going on recently, besides the obvious of course.” Phil can’t help the grin, Techno glares at him. 

“Made some progress with the zombism cure,” he grunts, taking a deep sip from his mug. “Cured a village, they seem to be doing well, they’re not one hundred percent but they’re alive again.” 

“Sounds like a good step,” Phil says. If anyone could find a cure for death, it would be Technoblade. 

They chat about meaningless things, projects, news, reminiscing over old memories. Its good, relaxing. Techno leans back in his chair, fiddling with his empty mug like he’s debating getting more tea. He glances out the window, a casual motion born of years of less-casual paranoia and freezes. 

Phil’s own history with paranoia has him looking out the window as well, eyes seeking the threat, ready to assess and deal with it. 

His sword is by the door, he has a few potions in his bag, Techno will have more and they’ll be better. Techno’s weapons are probably in the chest by the closet, he’ll at least have his sword. He may be in retirement but Phil is sure that he hasn’t gone fully pacifist.

There isn’t anything in this world that he and Techno can’t handle, especially now that Dream is dead. 

Only there isn’t a threat outside. 

There’s Wilbur. 

From this distance, he looks like Phil’s little boy as he remembers him. All grown up with his guitar on his back, ready to go out and face the world and find his fortune. But he’s so pale, and Phil can see that his feet don’t actually touch the snow. As Will gets closer, he can see the gaping wound in his chest. 

“Is that--” Techno asks, even though they both know it is. 

“He’s been missing for weeks,” Phil says softly, “I thought he’d--” he has to take a deep breath to keep his voice level. “I thought he’d moved on or something.” 

It had been bittersweet, losing even this shadow of his son all over again, but knowing that at least he was at peace. Only apparently he hadn’t been. “What is he doing out here? How did he even find you?” 

Techno shakes his head, “we better get him in here and ask I guess.” 

They don their boots and thick winter coats. Phil leaves his sword behind. His younger self would have beaten him over the head for that,this is the perfect setup for an ambush,but he can’t bear to hold a weapon in Wilbur’s vicinity. Not again. 

The ghost looks up at them as they leave the house and he breaks into a beaming smile. It makes Phil’s chest ache, like he’s the one who took a sword to the heart instead. 

“Technoblade!” Wilbur says gleefully, “I wasn’t expecting to see you out here! And dad! Its good to see you again.” 

Phil fights back the burning of his eyes, “its good to see you too. Son.” 

Wilbur beams at him, bright and innocent in a way that he hasn’t been in years. In a way that he still isn’t, really. Because this isn’t his son, its just a shadow, an echo. 

“What are you doing out here?” Techno asks, interrupting Phil’s thoughts. “I thought you were staying in New L’manberg.” 

“Well I was, but I was also staying with Tommy.” Wilbur frowns, “I was going back to L’manberg to tell people about Tommy’s beach party but Dream told me he’d do it. I think I might be a little late. I’ve been wandering out here for awhile.” 

Techno flicks a glance to Phil but Phil is still trying to process, still trying to understand. 

“Yeah…” Techno says, “uh..its. Been awhile since the beach party, Will.” 

“Yeah,” Wilbur says, nodding. “I figured, I’ve been lost for a long time. I don’t think Dream remembered that I melt in the rain.” 

Phil grinds his teeth together. Techno flicks another glance at him, he can probably tell just how much Phil is repressing the sudden rage in his chest right now. Dream should count himself  _ lucky _ that he is already dead and that Technoblade was the one to kill him. 

Phil would not be so quick about it as Techno probably was. 

“Well,” Techno says, “lets get you inside now, I guess.” 

“Okay!” Wilbur agrees, passing through Technoblade and heading towards the house. “Have you been to visit Tommy Technoblade?” 

“In...a way.” Techno says, “actually Tommy is living with me now.” 

“That’s great!” Wilbur says, floating through the door. 

Techno follows him in but Phil stands on the porch, hoping that the cool air will help quench the fiery wrath that is boiling up in him. Dream was the one who set Wilbur on the path to his death in the first place, and now he’s tried to kill the echo of him as well. 

He braces himself on the railing of the porch and breathes. Dream is dead, Techno killed him and there is no vengeance that Phil can extract from a corpse. There is nothing he can do about this but move on. 

And he will. 

In a moment. 

In just a moment. 

*** 

There is light in his face. Tommy groans and buries his face into his pillow. He needs to move the tent so this doesn’t keep happening. Only his cot is so comfortable, its never this soft, the blankets are never this warm. He’s sure that if he moves the illusion will vanish and he’ll never feel his comfortable again. 

A door opens. 

Tommy shivers as a cold breeze flows in and he remembers. He isn’t on the beach. He’s in Techno’s house, Dream is dead, Philza is visiting. He hasn’t been in exile in months. 

He sits up, he’s on Techno’s couch, not down in his room, because he’d woken up last night and sorted books with Philza. He’d sorted Technoblade’s books at midnight with Wilbur’s father. 

And then Philza had read him a story and he’d fallen asleep on him. 

He should probably just go back to bed. He should just go down to the cellar and never come back up. 

He can’t right now though, because Phil and Techno are coming in, and behind them is Wilbur. The Wilbur that’s too pale and has a gaping hole in his chest, the Wilbur that speaks with an echo in a dreamy tone. 

Not the Wilbur who left Tommy alone in the crowd, but the one who’d left him on the beach. 

He’d still promised to be back. 

And he’d still broken that promise. 

“Tommy!” Wilbur says cheerfully, “Techno said you were here!” He floats across the room and sits on the air beside the couch. “I missed you!” 

“What the hell?!” Tommy shouts, he shoves the blankets away and gets to his feet. “What--” He looks desperately to Techno, to Phil. They both look concerned, but neither of them has anything that might be an explanation. “What the  _ hell _ Wilbur? You left me! You were supposed to--” 

“Dream said--” Wilbur begins. 

“ _ Don’t _ .” Tommy hisses, “don’t talk about him.” He doesn’t want to hear about Dream, he doesn’t want to deal with Wilbur being here again. 

Its only a matter of time before he leaves. 

Wilbur frowns, “have some blue, Tommy, you look like you need it.” 

“I don’t want blue, Wilbur.” 

“Are you sure?” Wilbur asks, floating closer, Tommy looks away. He doesn’t want to see Wilbur’s washed out eyes, and he especially doesn’t want to see that terrible wound. Wilbur smiles and reaches out to ruffle his hair. 

Tommy ducks swiftly away, stumbling as he trips over his feet. His heart races, his breath is suddenly coming too fast.  _ No, no _ he has to stay still. As still as a stone, let Dream do what he wants and he might not get hurt. 

“Tommy?” Wilbur asks softly, confused. 

Technoblade is looking from Wilbur, to Tommy, to Philza. “Right,” he mutters, “uh...Tommy why don’t you and Phil go check on the turtles or something.” 

Tommy glares at Techno, he’s  _ not _ going to be sent outside to calm down. He’s fine. He is. 

He will be. He just needs a minute. 

“C’mon Tommy,” Philza says softly, “I could really use your help.” 

He holds out his hand, low, at waist level, not anywhere near Tommy’s head. Tommy hesitates, but Wilbur is still looking at him, confused and sad. The blue in his hand is growing deeper and deeper in shade. Tommy takes Philza’s hand. 

They trudge out to the turtles in silence together. Philza’s shoulders are hunched, hands firmly in his pockets. 

He’s not wearing his sword belt, Tommy notices. 

The turtle’s enclosure is magically heated so they leave their heavy jackets in the storage shed. The turtles are fine, naturally, but Tommy and Philza both lean silently against the fence watching them. 

“Dream sent him away,” Philza says into the quiet. “That’s why he left, why he didn’t deliver the invitations.” 

Tommy crosses his arms, “oh.” Maybe it should make him angry, or sad, or upset in some other way. It doesn’t, really. Its just another way that Dream has betrayed him. There are so many, a thousand bleeding wounds, what’s one more? 

Philza sighs, “yeah.” 

Tommy glances at him, Phil looks  _ old _ . Well, he always looks old, but right now he looks  _ old _ . Like he’s got the weight of the world on his shoulders. Or at least, the weight of a dead son. 

Tommy isn’t sure if there’s much difference between the weights of those things. 

“Its hard,” he says, “seeing Ghostbur sometimes.” 

Philza laughs bitterly, “yeah. It is.” 

Tommy kicks at a bit of sand that’s escaped from the enclosure, “Sometimes I wish he hadn’t come back. But other times I think its better to have  _ some _ part of him than it is to have nothing.” 

Philza nods silently, his head bowed, “He used to smile like that all the time,” he says, softly, like he’s telling a secret. “Sometimes I almost forget that he’s dead. Almost.” 

“Almost,” Tommy echoes. 

He leans against Phil’s side and Phli wraps an arm around his shoulders. Tommy looks up and Phil summons a sad smile, “you’re a good kid, Tommy. I’m sorry you got caught up in all of this.” 

“I wish it hadn’t happened,” Tommy says, “but I don’t regret meeting you guys. Even with everything that came with that.” 

Phil squeezes him tighter, “yeah. You ready to go back to the house?” 

“Yeah.” 

*** 

Eventually, Philza has to leave, and he takes Ghostbur with him. Back to L’manberg, back to Tubbo. 

Techno stands at his side, “you could go with them you know.” 

“Some day,” Tommy replies. 

“Some day,” Techno agrees.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, *this* time I am finished with this, I'm pretty sure.   
> I've already got the basics of what I want to happen in the next part lol, so make sure you're subscribed to the series. 
> 
> I want to say thank you to everyone for the wonderful comments I've gotten on this series, I've fallen behind on replies but I'll be catching up on those soon! I love hearing from you guys!


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